CAN Denies N7 Billion Presidential Bribe, Admits Church Is Under Threat

February 20, 2015

‎Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has denied allegation by one Pastor Musa Dikwa that its leadership was bribed by President Goodluck Jonathan to the tune of seven billion naira not only for his re-election bid but to disparage the Presidential candidate of opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari. This is even as the Association believes that the Church is now under threat.
In a statement reacting to the allegation which made a lot of media headline yesterday, the General Secretary of CAN,
Rev. (Dr.) Musa Asake said: “Ordinarily, we would have ignored this baseless and worthless allegation but for the vulnerable public which believes in anything no matter how incredible the source could be, especially in this era of politics.‎”
He said that Pastor Musa Dikwa allegation that the leadership of CAN was given N7 Billion by President Goodluck Jonathan to campaign for his re-election was a tissue of lie.
“For the avoidance of doubt, CAN has no knowledge of any N7 billion transaction as alleged by Musa Dikwa who claims to be the Executive Director of a non-existent group, Voice of Northern Christian Movement. CAN is not a political party, let alone getting involved in partisan politics. Christians who are members of CAN belong to different political parties. It is therefore surprising to hear that CAN is campaigning for one candidate.”
Rev. Musa Asake made it clear that revered men of God, “including Pastors Ayo Oritsejafor, CAN President; Bishop David Oyedepo of Winners Chapel and Pastor Bosun Emmanuel (Secretary-General of National Christian Elders Forum) are too upright to be linked with any such deal.
“CAN is therefore not surprised to see Musa Dikwa doing a yeoman’s job the next day through his allegations. This is the hands of Esau but voice of Jacob.”
The CAN scribe said that allegation by Dikwa is masterminded by those who were not happy with the recent press statement by the CAN leadership in which it denounced the endorsement of the Presidential candidate of APC, General Buhari, by a group of people using the name of different Christian organizations to perpetrate fraud.
“We still insist that Buhari has fallen into wrong hands because his endorsement for the March 28 general election by Northern Christian Leaders Eagle-Eye Forum led by Aminchi Habu is fraudulent.
“We are therefore calling on security agencies to commence investigation of the activities of this Voice of Northern Christian Movement and Musa Dikwa himself to unravel the N7 billion mystery which is intended by their sponsors to throw the country into serious crisis.
“We repeat for emphasis, that neither Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, Bishop David Oyedepo, Pastor Bosun Emmanuel and CAN was given any money by the presidency, let alone N7 billion. The allegation is the height of mischief and desperation. Unfortunately, our psyche as a nation has been bastardized and abused by the institutionalized corruption introduced by successive military rulers (in uniform and out of uniform) that we no longer believe that anyone can speak the truth without financial inducement or gratification. Fortunately, there are still people in the nation who act without financial inducement.
“We are Christians and our candidate is Jesus Christ. So long as we believe that the Church is under threat, we will speak for Jesus Christ and maintain the Wake Up Call to the Church.” [myad]

PDP Is Planning To Blackmail Muslim Clerics, District Heads For Supporting Buhari – APC

Greenbarge Reporters

February 20, 2015

All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Organisation has condemned a plan by the Jonathan-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), through some government controlled security agencies, to witch-hunt some Northern Muslim clerics and District Heads as having stolen Permanent Voter Cards (PVC), to rig the March 28 presidential election in favour of their kinsman, General Muhammadu Buhari who is the flag bearer of APC.
This move, Director of media and publicity for the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation, Garba Shehu, is aimed at shifting the paradigm of public perception of corruption on them to the camp of the opposition (APC),
“If this clandestine plan is hatched like the use of the military to rig the polls in governorship election in Ekiti State last year, or the underhand treatment currently being given to INEC and other state institutions, we in the APC and majority of fellow Nigerian men and women would disbelieve it, resist it and question it till such an oppressive decision is rescinded and the anomaly rectified,”
In a statement today, Garba Shehu said that APC is in possession of information that shows that “certain state agencies like the Customs, Immigration, Police and so on are waiting on the wings to mop up PVC across the country (possibly from illegal immigrants) and bundle them on hapless religious leaders and District Heads of Northern extraction, to corroborate PDP’s over-flogged narrative that people in the Northern States have collected voter’s cards by proxy; even though INEC top-shots have publicly denied such allegations. The ploy to also heap this electoral offence on APC cum Buhari supporters is, to say the least, dastardly, cruel and heinous.”
Garba Shehu stressed that election must not be seen or taken as a do-or-die affair even as he insisted that Nigeria belongs to all Nigerians and that the best hands should govern it.
“After all, the opposition has won elections in Senegal, Ghana, Sri Lanka, among others. Why should ours be an exemption? Shehu queried.
“What President Jonathan and his party should learn from their multifarious campaign of malice and mudslinging, to which millions of state funds are daily being pumped, is that Nigerians are not buying their lies and they will voice out their anger through the ballot at the polls in March and April. No amount of cajolement or harassment can bottle the people’s power to elect their leaders. It is a constitutional right that not even the military has the power to remove. General Buhari is a man of proven integrity and honesty. These are the tangible and incorruptible attributes that endear him to the masses. “ [myad]

Vote For Me And PDP, You Shall Be Liberated From Tyranny, Jonathan Tells Lagosians

Greenbarge Reporters

February 20, 2015

President Goodluck Jonathan has called on Lagos residents to vote for him for second term and all candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March/April elections, promising that they will be liberated from the tyranny of one man.
The President who addressed leaders of market women groups, the Iyalojas, in Lagos and environs who paid him a solidarity visit at the State House, Marina, Lagos last night, was responding to the complaint of high handedness and witch hunt made by the Iyalojas against the Lagos state government.
Jonathan said that the PDP administration would provide the enabling environment for them to operate their trade without harassment, saying: “Our victory at the polls will free all Lagos traders from oppression. You need to be free. We will remove Lagos from bondage.”
President Jonathan thanked the women traders for standing solidly behind his re-election bid and urged them not to be intimidated by the antics of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“I have listened to you. You have been carrying the PDP flag. You have been humiliated but you still marched on. Thank you for working hard for PDP. This is the final struggle and time for us to use all our strength to achieve victory.”
The President emphasised that the country belongs to every Nigerian even as th leader of the market Women from Lagos, Hajia Aminat Hussein told the President that the women had stood behind PDP since its inception but regretted that the members suffered harassment under the Lagos State administration.
She said that in spite of the attempts to buy over many of the market women by the APC, the women would mobilise their members in the State and other states in the federation to ensure victory for President Jonathan.
“We are promising you that you will not lose in Lagos. This coming election is for Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and God is with you.”
Former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro who accompanied the group, told the President that the group is working to tell the world that the ruling elites in Lagos “are not untouchables.”
“These women are more concerned about the reality than news in the social media. APC will be shocked on Election Day. We believe in our President.
“I do not know of any President that is as humble as Jonathan. If you have such a man as President your interest will be protected.” [myad]

More EU Nations, Others Soft-Pedal On Relationship With Syria

Greenbarge Reporters

February 20, 2015

Diplomats from some European Union (EU) capitals are believed to have come to terms with the fact that time is ripe for restoring diplomatic relations with Syria, where President Bashar Assad remains in power four years after the start of a brutal civil war.
Although London and Paris are reportedly opposed to shifting their stance on Syria, adhering to the US line that Assad “must go,” diplomats from a growing number of European Union countries support a move toward the renewal of relations.
The countries that appear to be leaning towards a rapprochement with Damascus include Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Romania and Spain. The Czech Republic, which did not withdraw its ambassador, is in favor of the initiative. Norway and Switzerland, which are not members of the EU, are also on board.
But even in those EU countries that are officially opposed to renewed relations, there is talk that the Syrian crisis could have been handled better. One senior French diplomat admitted that closing the embassy was a mistake, the news agency said.
The gradual change in attitude toward Syria has increased since the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) made territorial gains in Syria and Iraq, prompting US-led aerial attacks on IS positions in the country – despite harsh criticism from Damascus, which accused Washington of violating its territorial integrity.
Some diplomats have even hinted at the possibility of Assad being of assistance in the anti-jihadist campaign, which has become more outspoken following a series of deadly attacks in several EU countries.
“Some states say Bashar is a reality, we have to take this into account if there are threats to Europe,” one European diplomat was quoted as saying.
In 2011, the EU imposed sanctions against Syria as the authorities resorted to strong-arm tactics to put down the protests, which escalated into a full-blown civil war.
Amid the changing undercurrents regarding Syria, the United Nations Syria envoy said on Tuesday that Damascus was prepared to halt its bombing of Aleppo, a rebel stronghold, to pave the way for a possible ceasefire.
“It is important the European Union support the UN mediator and his effort to create a ceasefire,” Denmark’s Foreign Minister, Martin Lidegaard said, adding: “in relation to that, we cannot avoid to talk to the regime in Damascus since they represent an element of power.”
EU diplomats said that the US, despite its objections to Assad remaining in power, has no any viable alternative solutions, aside from continuing to support the opposition.
“We don’t know what this coalition wants and the United States is not deciding,” Bassma Kodmani, director of the Paris-based Arab Reform Initiative and a former member of the main Syrian opposition in exile, said, adding: “that’s leading to calls in Europe that Assad is the lesser of the two evils. The debate has come full circle.”
Meanwhile, several EU states have diplomats who travel to Syria but are not based there officially.
“Others who kept them open were able to have eyes on the ground and keep a relationship with Assad,” another French diplomat said.
“We don’t have a clear idea of what’s going on. Within intelligence circles the will to renew the dialogue is there.” [myad]

Jonathan Promises To Establish First Cooperative University In Nigeria If He’s Re-Elected

Greenbarge Reporters

February 20, 2015

President Goodluck Jonathan has promised to establish the Nigeria’s first University of Cooperatives. He said that as a precursor to the establishment of the university, he will send a Federal Government delegation to Nairobi, Kenya to understudy the University of Cooperative there.
President Jonathan who played host to members of the Odua Cooperative Alliance (OCA) from the 6 southwestern states in the State House, Marina, Lagos today, was responding to the requests by leader of the delegation, Asiwaju Adetokunbo Osisanya that the Federal Government should take a cue from Kenya which already has that institution.
President Jonathan confessed that he was hearing about the existence of such an institution in the East African country for the first time, promised to take action on it immediately and situate the university in the southwest.
The President Jonathan said that he always believed that Nigeria needs specialized universities, and that such belief had given rise to the establishment of a Maritime University in Delta state.
“On the issue you raised about a University of Cooperative. I will send a team to Kenya to go and look at the University there. They need to look at the courses they offer, the departments and how the entire institution is structured. Then we will establish our own and it will be located in the southwest.”
On the request for the institution of 200 billion naira national cooperative development fund as provided in the national cooperative policy of year 2002, the President promised to get the Central Bank of Nigeria to consider the inclusion of that in its operations.
While promising to look at many other requests made by the group if Nigerians return him to office on March 28th, on the demand for the review of cooperative laws, the President told the group to form a team within itself and recommend specific laws to the Federal Government.
President Jonathan promised to sit with them, look at their recommendations and send a draft bill to the National Assembly for deliberations.
The President who thanked the leader of the delegation for his brilliant presentation, acknowledged that he had become more enlightened about how the cooperative movement can contribute to the advancement of his Transformation Agenda.
“After listening to your well written address which was also articulately presented, I now appreciate better the role cooperative movements can play in our transformation agenda. We will cooperate with you and include your ideas as parts of efforts to move this country forward.”
Other requests made by the group include grant/ intervention for the take-off of the national cooperative transportation scheme; reduction in the collateral to access the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Fund; favorable policy framework on the federal mortgage for housing to enable conventional cooperatives to benefit; special funding for cooperative movement; creation of full fledged ministry of cooperative and rural development.
The group leader promised to mobilize over two million votes for the President’s re-election bid out of its 6 million membership strength. [myad]

How Buhari’s PTF, Jonathan Government Fail In Completing Okpella Water Project – Water Resources Minister

Greenbarge Reporters

February 20, 2015

Minister of water resources, Mrs. Sarah Reng Ochekpe has given details of how the former Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), headed by the current Presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari abandoned a water project at Okpella in Etsako Local Government Areas of Edo State even as she admitted that the government of President Goodluck Jonathan has also not been able to complete the project.
The minister reacted in a statement today to what she called “a very unpleasant publication” in some national newspapers alleging to have been made by the Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole to the effect that PDP – led Federal Government siphoned N800 million meant for the project. The governor was said to have alleged that record at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Abuja, shows that the project had been completed without single water pipe laid.
The minister said that there is no such record or claims by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources that the water project in Okpella is completed or in use, even as she admitted that “the Okpella Water Supply Project was awarded by the defunct Petroleum (special) Trust Fund (PTF) in December 1998
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Okpella project is one of the failed projects of the current flag bearer of the APC – General Muhammadu Buhari when he was the Chairman of the Petroleum Trust fund (PTF).”
Mrs. Ochekpe said that her ministry, at the inception of this administration, undertook a nationwide assessment of several abandoned projects in the water sector, including the Okpella water supply project, and documented them properly for completion by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“You may wish to note that some of them have been completed, such as Ilesha Dam in Osun State, Ogwushi-Uku Dam in Delta state, among others across the country.
Admitting that the Okpella water project was not one of those that have been completed by the ministry, the minister described Oshiomhole allegation as spurious, adding that the allegation had been trumped up in the past and reported to the EFCC which carried out investigations and discovered that there are no such records of completion in the Ministry, nor were there any funds appropriated and released to the tune of N800m and expended by the Ministry on the Okpella water supply project.
“If Governor Oshiomhole wants to undertake water projects, especially for the people of Edo State, which is his statutory responsibility any way, let him go ahead and do so without joining issues with the PDP led Federal Government.” She made it clear that the role of the Federal government in the provision of water to rural communities is interventionist not statutory, even as he asked Governor Oshiohole to brace up to his responsibilities and provide water for Edo people.
“Governor Oshiomhole needs to know that no Government of Nigeria over the years has demonstrated as much political will and delivered on its promises in the water sector, like the President Jonathan led Federal Government. You may wish to check the scorecard of the Ministry.
“The Federal Ministry of Water Resources therefore demands that the Comrade Governor use the same media to retract his unfounded allegations against the Federal Government of siphoning N800m that never existed.” [myad]

Pastor Kallamu Blows Whistle, Says Jonathan Gave CAN N7 Billion For Members

Greenbarge Reporters

February 19, 2015

A Borno-based Pastor, Kallamu Musa-Dikwa has blown a whistle on how President Goodluck Jonathan gave the sum of seven billion naira to the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor who later distributed the money to the branch of CAN in 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory.

Pastor Kallamu’s revelation is coming on the heels of the allegation by Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, that Presiden Jonathan gave pastors across the country N6 bilion to vote against the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Major General Muhammadu Buhari in the postponed presidential election.
The Pastor confirmed today that the money that was given to pastors by the President was actually N7bn and not N6bn as alleged by Amaechi, who doubles as the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation.

Amaechi had alleged that unnamed leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) paid N6bn to Christian clerics to campaign against Buhari and the APC.

The governor’s allegation caused a stir among the Christian clerics, with the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and the Northern State Christian Elders Forum asking Amaechi to name the church leaders who collected the huge bribe.

But Musa-Dikwa, who is the Executive Director of the Voice of Northern Christian Movement, told journalists in Kaduna today that the said money was channelled through the Christian Association of Nigeria.

He said the CAN got the N7bn on January 26, 2015 and disbursed N3 million to each State Chairmen of the CAN across the country.

Musa-Dikwa, who was an Associate Pastor with the E. Y. N. Church, Farm Centre, Dikwa Road, Maiduguri, Borno State, under Rev. Emmanuel Kwajihe between 2002 and 2004, said the CAN had started threatening Christians in the state like Borno, that they must re-elect Jonathan in the rescheduled election.

“It was N7bn that was given to the CAN leadership by President Goodluck Jonathan. They (CAN) later disbursed N3 million to the State Chairmen of the CAN. The money was handed over to the CAN Leadership on 26th January, 2015.

“Actually, President Jonathan is using CAN President, and it was the CAN President who collected the monies and shared N3m to the CAN executives in each state.

“And some Pentecostal Bishops also collected their share. Actually, the money is not N6bn, it is N7bn. This is what I know. One of the CAN officials from Abuja told me that they have collected the money. The corruption in CAN is terrible. They are corrupting the body of Christ because of money.

“They are now threatening Christians in Borno State that they will deal with anybody who refuses to vote for Jonathan. And the CAN officials are now campaigning that if Buhari emerges President, he will Islamise Nigeria; and that Osinbajo collected monies from Islamic world; and that the same Osinbajo will resign soon after Buhari wins to give way for Tinubu to emerge Vice President.”

Musa-Dikwa named some high-profile clerics, who had benefitted from the controversial largesse to actualize the re-election bid of Jonathan. [myad]

Jonathan Protests Against Defining Nigeria With Boko Haram, Says It’s Not The Worst Country

Greenbarge Reporters

February 19, 2015

President Goodluck Jonathan has openly protested against those who sometimes define Nigeria with the Boko Haram insurgency, saying: “Nigeria cannot be defined based on Boko Haram alone. There is terror all over the world.”
President Jonathan who addressed members of the Yoruba Elders Council (YCE) in the State House, Marina, Lagos today said that he always feels bad when people make statements that expose Nigeria as if it is the worst country on earth, adding: “we are not that bad. My position is that let us all collectively defend and protect this country.
“Yes, we have issues in this country. Even issues of security, like this Boko Haram, because we are managing a very delicate situation.
“We have unfair share of the terror. But luckily with what is happening now, I tell people that in the next two to three weeks, this story will change, because we have got the equipment that we can withstand the excesses of the Boko Haram.
“That is why these few days you will see more of the movement. We don’t want to say much. It is going on gradually.
“My belief is that in the next three weeks or so, if we don’t completely take over all our territories (from Boko Haram), we would have handled the Boko Haram to the extent that it will no longer be a problem to the elections that will come up.”
President Jonathan yesterday called on the politicians to put the country’s unity and stability ahead of their political ambitions, saying that for anyone to aspire to become president, Vice President or governor, there must be a country.
“No matter what we want to do, that is those of us who are aspiring to run this country or even at the state level, first and foremost, you must have a country.
“If we don’t have a country, there will be no office to hold; whether it is the office of the President or office of the Vice President or office of the minister or whatever office, there must be Nigeria first.”
The President said that his administration had put measures in place to improve the country, adding that under his watch, Nigeria was pronounced the largest economy in Africa and the preferred destination for Foreign Direct Investment.
He said that in spite of the challenges in the country, food prices had remained stable while the health sector received a great boost.
He said that the administration had eradicated guinea worm, adding that the World Health Organization (WHO), will soon declare the country polio- free.
Jonathan said that his administration showed leadership by pulling all the states together to battle the Ebola virus disease outbreak.
He promised to carry the elders along in all his programmes and would commence a quarterly meeting with the six geo-political zones if he is re-elected in the March 28 poll.
Speaking earlier, the President of YCE, General Adeyinka Adebayo (rtd) commended the President for the quality of leadership he is providing for the country even as he prayed that the country hold violence free general elections. [myad]

Buhari Goes To UK On Working Visit

Greenbarge Reporters

February 19, 2015

Presidential Candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari has left for the United Kingdom today on what his campaign organisation described as “a short working visit.”
In a statement, the director of media and publicity for the campaign organisation, Garba Shehu said that in the course of the visit, General Buhari is expected to hold meetings with key members of the British political establishment and interact with some global institutions with stakeholder interest in the affairs of Nigeria.
He said that Buhari may give a talk at the prestigious foreign policy hub, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatam House in London.
This was even as Garba Shehu said that APC now has evidence to show that a top management staff of the Nigerian Maritime Administration & Safety Agency (NIMASA) has been behind the dirty campaigns of hate, recently featured in AIT and NTA, against General Buhari and his family.
He said that the Campaign Office has confirmed that the agency was indeed the sponsor of all the dirty campaigns against the APC presidential candidate on AIT, NTA and several other media platforms, the action which he said contravenes the NIMASA Act, the Public Service Regulations, and the INEC Act 2010 as amended, among others.
Garba Shehu said that APC and the campaign organisation were miffed by a situation where a government agency would use public funds to sponsor a campaign of calumny against the candidate of the party.
He emphasised that such act is illegal and needs to be condemned and investigated by the Joint Committees of the National Assembly on Marine Transportation.
“If these claims were to be found to be true by the Joint Committee, the statement said, disciplinary action should be taken against the agency and its leadership.
“It is a well known fact that the Director General of the Agency, Mr. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi was President Goodluck Jonathan’s and a well-known ex-militant’s errand boy. He was appointed there for the sole aim of satisfying an ex-militant’s camp, an assignment he has carried out well to the satisfaction of those who put him there through the award of a concessionaire phantom PPP project. Under this contract, a certain company, (Global West Vessels Specialists Ltd) was handed the legal responsibility of the Nigerian Navy (NN) of protecting the Nation’s Waterway and NIMASA’s Maritime Security function to the surprise of all industry observers and yet fail woefully in offering the necessary protection for the theft of Nigerian Crude Oil, which has only increased since then among other sea related crimes.”
Garba Shehu also condemned the illegal use of public funds by the chief executive of any government agency to finance disparaging media campaign against an opposition candidate.
He decried the increasing helplessness of regulatory agencies in the country, charged with the certification of commercial advertising, that are now being ignored by the PDP in placing libellous and defamatory campaign materials against the opposition in TV stations they control.
According to him, President Jonathan should prove to Nigerians that he is sincerely committed to the rule of law by taking immediate action against the NIMASA boss, adding: “it is not enough for President Jonathan to claim he doesn’t know the sponsors of smear adverts if he lacks the courage to punish them once they are exposed.” [myad]

I Will Return North To Safety And Elections Must Hold, Jonathan Promises

Greenbarge Reporters

February 19, 2015

President Goodluck Jonathan has promised to rout out Boko Haram and return the North East to safety even as he assured that elections will be held in the region come March 28 and April 11.
Commissioning four Naval ships in Lagos today, the President made it clear that nothing would make the elections to be shifted again.
“Let me also use this platform to promise my good country men and women that we will rout out Boko Haram. Our capacity to achieve results in the northeast has increased sufficiently. Our men and officers are doing well in the northeast and we must conduct the elections as scheduled by INEC. We will return the north to safety.”
President Jonathan assured Nigerians that the Armed Forces now have sufficient capacity to rout out the Boko Haram sect from the northeastern, adding that the elections would go ahead as scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He commended officers and men of the Nigerian Army who are fighting the terrorists in the northeast, saying that he was very impressed with the reports of successes coming out of the zone.
He said that his administration had made it a deliberate policy to properly equip and improve the security architecture available for officers and men of the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Airforce. [myad]

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